Hay stacker and loader



Nov. 21, 1950 H. R. wA'rsoN HAY STACKER AND LOADER Filed septf 2o, 194e :ey sheets-sheet 1 I (jm/ummm wep M7540 Nov. 21, .1950 H. R. wATsoN HAY STACKER Ami LOADER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 20, 1946 W mw w a u M M Ml, W M ...4F1- ,Y muevm Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UN ITED STATES PATENT FFICE The present invention relates to powered stackers and is more particularly concerned with a machine -for stacking baledV hay and sacks oi grain or other commodities.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of the character referred to which adapted to the stacking of baled hay in high stacks or high up in barns and for loading trucks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character referred to which is also adapted to the handling of sacks of grain and other commodities, either to place them in high piles or store them high up in barns and to load themY on trucks.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a device of the character referred to of simpler and more durable construction than prior devices.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists of the novel construction, arrangement and combination oi parts hereinafer described and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention:

Figure l is aside elevation of the machine,

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 3`is a section on line 3 3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-section on an enlarged scale of a fragmentary part of an expansible supporting strut showing a strut-latching mechanism.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section on line 5 5 of Figure l, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 6-5 of Figure 2'.

Like numerals, as used in the description and drawings, designate the same parts of construction.

The machine is supported on three rubber-tire wheels, one of which is caster type. These wheels Hi', Il and t2 are mounted on a triangular chassis I3. Mounted on said chassis is the main frame of the machine which frame includes a rear axle 65 upon` which` the rear wheels l0 and II are journaledand side members 66 secured at their rear ends to axle 65 adjacent the ends of the latter and converging forwardly to a connection with 'a caster wheel yoke 6l. It' consists of two vertical and suitably spaced standards I t extending upwardly from the rear axle 65, one

near each end of the latter to support the two conveyor units 2D and 2l. These standards are braced'adiacent their'upper ends by across truss, not illustrated.

Twosubstantially parallel bracingv bars l5 are connected atl their rearward, upper ends, oneto 3 Claims. (Cl. Hi8-9i) each standard le near the upper end of the corresponding standard and extend downwardly and forwardly to a vertically-disposed yoke I6 on the forward part' of the frame.

Subsidiary, diagonal braces Il extend. on an incline from the frame side members (it to the lower portions of the standards ld' and a tootplate i8 is secured across the lower ends of these subsidiary braces. This footplate serves as a base for a telescopic strut I9 which is pivotally mounted in the center of the footplate at its lower end and is pivotally connected at its upperY end to the underside of the conveyorv unit 2U.

The two conveyor units 29 and 2l are disposed in longitudinally-aligned, end-toeend relation'- ship and are pivotally connected at their adjacent inner ends to the upper ends of' the two frame standards lll'. rlhe conveyor unit 29 extends forwardly from the pivotal connection with the upper ends of the standards over the front caster wheel i2', while the unit 2| extends rearwardly from. the pivotal connection.

A link 23 is pivotally connected at its upper end to. the underside. or" conveyor unit 2|v at aV location spaced from the inner end of the latter and is pivotally secured at its lower end to the intermediate portion of a U-shaped lever 32, the

ends of which are pivotally connected to respective subsidiary frame braces I1 by respective sleeves 33' secured on the braces intermediate the length of they latter and rotatably receiving the outwardly-turned' ends of the U-shaped lever 32". A cable sheave 3l is secured to link 23 near the lower end of the latter and a cable 35 connected at one end to the standards I4 near the upper ends oi the latter extends downwardly under sheave 3l, upwardly over a sheavev 3 supported by the standards, near their upper ends, and downwardly from sheave- 3S. A Weight G9 is secured to the lowerendof the cable to constitute,

v with the cable, the cable sheaves and the link 23 and lever 3-2 a counterbalance for the conveyor unit 2l. The link 29 and lever 32 areV disposed atV an angle tov each other and provide, in eiiect, atoggle assembly between the frame and the conveyor unit 2i. The pull of the cable- 34 on the elbow of this toggle assembly, occassioned by the suspended weight 69, tends to lift the outer end of the conveyor unit. The weight is not heavyenough to lift the unit, but lightens it to suchan extent that it can be easily raised by .an operator working at that end of the conveyor. Theconveyor unit is supported' with its freeend at' any' desired elevation by a telescopic strut 22'. This' stru-t 22-comprses av tube- 756i pivotally connected at its lower end to the rear axle 65 and having longitudinally-aligned apertures 28, and a rod 1| pivotally connected to the underside of conveyor unit 2| at a location outward of the connection between the conveyor unit and link 23, and slidably received in tube l0. A cylindrical plug 'i2 is secured in the inner end of tubular rod 1| within tube 19 and is medially slotted longitudinally to receive a latch 29. This latch is a flat, substantially rectangular plate having at one corner a dog engageable in the apertures 28 of tube T6 and near an opposite corner is provided with an aperture receiving a pin i3 pivotally connecting the latch to plug 72. A compression spring 'i4 disposed between the plug and one corner of the latch resiliently urges the latch to a position in which the latch dog engages in a selected aperture 28. A cord or strand 39 is connected at one end to the latch and extends through the tubular rod li, out of the upper end of the rod and along the conveyor unit 2i to the free end of the latter where the cord is readily accessible to an operator at the free end of the elevator unit so that the operator can release the latch dog from the aperture in tube 1B in which the dog is engaged in order to lower the free end of the conveyor unit. The dog is preferably provided on its upper end with an inclined surface l5 so that it will pull out of the corresponding aperture without use of the cord when the free end of the conveyor unit is lifted.

The telescopic strut I9 supporting the conveyor unit 29 is pivotally connected at its lower end to footplate I8 and at its upper end to the underside of the conveyor unit 20 at a location spaced from the pivotal connection of the inner end of this conveyor unit with the upper ends of standards it. The construction of strut I9 is the same as that of strut 22, described above, and strut i9 comprises a lower tube 'I6 provided with spaced-apart apertures, an upper tubular rod 'il telescopically received in tube 16, a latch assembly, as illustrated in Figure 4, on the inner end of the rod, and a cord i8 secured to the latch and extending out of the rod 'il' and along the conveyor unit 29 to the free end of the latter.

A pair of tubular sleeves or bushings 38 is mounted, one on the upper end of each standard |13, by respective tubular sockets 19, each connected at one end to the respective sleeve and receiving the upper end of the corresponding standard to which it is attached by a through pin 8G.

The conveyor unit 2| has a pair of Substantially parallel frame side members 8l of flat, rectangular cross-section, provided in corresponding ends with respective, enlarged apertures. A pair of bearing sleeves 39 projects, one into each end frame-member aperture, and is rigidly secured to the frame member. These bearing sleeves project laterally outwardly from the corresponding side-frame members and are rotatably received in respective outer sleeves 38.

The conveyor unit 2t has substantially parallel side-frame members 9i provided at corresponding ends with respective enlarged apertures and a pair of inner bearing sleeves 49 extends, one into each of the side-frame members 9| and is rigidly secured thereto. Each inner sleeve is rotatably received in a respective intermediate sleeve 39 and the two pair of bearing sleeves 39 and 4@ pivotally inter-connect the inner or adjacent ends of the two conveyor units and pivotally support the ends of the conveyor units on the upper ends of the standards |4 for vertical swinging movement of the two conveyor units about a common axis.

A drive shaft 42 extends concentrically through the inner bearing sleeves 40 and is journaled therein by respective ball bearings 4|. This shaft has two spaced-apart conveyor belt pulleys thereon and three chain sprockets 43, 45 and 46. Sprocket 43 is secured on the shaft adjacent one end of the latter and is driven by a chain 44 from a sprocket El secured on a jack shaft 92 journaled in bearing brackets 93 secured to the main frame members I5. Jack shaft 93 carries a large belt pulley 58 driven by a belt 59 from a small belt pulley 6B secured on a second jack shaft 94. A large pulley 56 is secured on the second jack shaft and driven by a belt 95 from a small pulley 57 secured on the drive shaft of a suitable power unit, such as a gasoline engine or electric motor D.

The belt pulleys 57, 56, 60 and 58, the belts 95 and 59, the chain sprockets 6| and 43, and the chain 44 provide a speed-reducing power drive of large ratio between the power unit D and shaft 42.

A shaft 5| extends transversely through the outer end of conveyor unit 2| and is `lournaled in the side-frame members 89 near the outer ends of the latter. A pair of spaced-apart conveyor belt pulleys and a chain sprocket 5|) are secured on shaft 5|. A pair of parallel conveyor belts 52 extends around corresponding belt pulleys on shafts 42 and 5| and are provided with outwardly-projecting studs 59 for gripping articles, such as bales of hay or bags of grain, to be moved along the conveyor unit. Chain Si connects sprockets 46 and 50 to drive shaft 5| from shaft l2 and thereby drive the conveyor belts from both ends of the conveyor unit.

An elongated, flat plate 98 is disposed between the side-frame members 8| with its longitudinal edges secured one to each frame side member to provide a supporting platform extending lengthwise of the conveyor unit. A lower plate, or suitable transverse members, 99 is secured between the frame side members below the plate 98 to reinforce the frame structure of the conveyor uint.

The upper end of rod 'Il of strut 22 is secured to the underside of the conveyor unit 2| by a pair of aligned sleeves 26 secured to and depending from the under surface of lower plate 99, a sleeve 2f?. secured on the upper end of rod 1i, and the pin 2l extending through sleeves 24 and 28, as particularly illustrated in Figure 3.

The upper end of link 23 is pivotally connected to the under surface of unit 2| and the upper end of strut |91 is pivotally connected to the under surface of unit 2E! in a similar manner.

Conveyor unit 29 is similar in construction to unit 2| and includes a supporting platform plate |09.

A shaft 48 extends transversely of unit 20 near the inner end of the latter and is journaled in the side-frame members 9| of unit 20, and a second transverse shaft 55 is journaled in the side-frame members near the outer end of the unit. Corresponding, spaced-apart belt pulleys are secured on shafts 48 and 55 to carry the substantially Vparallel conveyor belts 49 of unit 2D. A chain sprocket |93 is secured on shaft 48 and a chain 41 drivingly connects sprocket 45 on shaft 42 with sprocket |83 to drive shaft 48 and the conveyor belts 49.

As different embodiments may be made of this inventive concept and modifications may be assenso made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it will be understood that the matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative mere ly and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. Conveyor mechanism comprising a wheel-@- supported frame including a pair of spaced-apart, upwardly-extending standards, a pair of longitudinally-aligned conveyor units disposed in endto-end relationship, meansV pivotally connecting the adjacent inner ends of said conveyor units to the upper ends of said standards, adjustable struts pivotally connected at their lower ends to said frame and at their upper ends, one to each conveyor unit to support said units with their free ends at desired elevations, movable conveyor belts in each of said conveyor units, a power unit mounted on said frame, and speed-reducing drive means connecting said power unit with said conveyor belts for driving the latter, each of said conveyor units comprising a pair of substantially parallel side-frame members, a platform plate extending between and having its longitudinal edges secured one to each of said side-frame members, a pair of transverse shafts journaled in said side-frame members, one near each end of said unit carrying the corresponding conveyor belt.

2. Conveyor mechanism comprising a wheelsupported frame including a pair of spaced-apart, upwardly-extending standards, a pair of longitudinally-aligned conveyor units disposed in endto-end relationship, means pivotally connecting the adjacent inner ends of said conveyor units to the upper ends of said standards, adjustable struts pivotally connected at their lower ends to said frame and at their upper ends, one to each conveyor unit to support said units with their free ends at desired elevations, movable conveyor belts in each of said conveyor units, a. power unit mounted on said frame, and speed-reducing drive means connecting said power unit with said conveyor belts for driving the latter, each of said conveyor units comprising a pair of substantially parallel side-frame members, and said means connecting said adjacent ends of said units to said standards comprising a pair of outer sleeves secured one to the upper end of eachstandard,a pair of intermediate sleeves secured one to each sideframe member of one conveyor unit and rotatably received in respective outer sleeves, and a pair of inner sleeves secured one to each side-frame member of the other conveyor unit and rotatably received in respective intermediate sleeves.

3. Conveyor mechanism comprising a wheelsupported frame including a pair of spaced-apart, upwardly-extending standards, a pair of1 longitudinally-aligned conveyor units disposed in endto-end relationship, means pivotally connecting the adjacent inner ends of said conveyor units to the upper ends of said standards, adjustable struts pivotally connected at the lower ends to said frame and at their upper ends, one to each conveyor unit to support said units with their free ends at desired elevations, movable conveyor belts in each of said conveyor units, a power unit mounted on said frame, and speed-reducing drive means connecting said power unit with said conveyor belts for driving the latter, each of said conveyor units comprising a pair of substantially parallel side-frame members, and said means connecting said adjacent ends oi said units to said standards comprising a. pair of outer sleeves secured one to the upper end of each standard, a pair of intermediate sleeves secured one to each side-frame member of one conveyor unit and rotatably received in respective outer sleeves, and a pair of inner sleeves secured one to each sideframe member of the other conveyor unit and rotatably received in respective intermediate sleeves, and said drive means including a shaft extending through and journaled in said inner sleeves, and chain sprockets on said shaft for drivingly connecting said shaft with said power unit and with the conveyor belt of both conveyor units.

HAROLD R. WATSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS' Number Name Date 323,352 Meltzer et al. July 28, 1885 880,826 Reistad Mar. 3, 1908 997,868 Steele July 11, 1911 1,082,716 Van Houweling Dec. 30, 1913 1,095,077 Brown Apr. 28, 1914 1,232,301 Harrington July 3, 1917 2,325,833 Cook Aug. 3, 1943 2,490,381 Shields Dec. 6, 1949 FCREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 299,959 Germany Aug. 17, 1917 

